Of Memories Lost
by DivineDebris
Summary: Amelia Bones has been assigned to investigate Gilderoy Lockhart after his unfortunate incident in the Chamber of Secrets. What she discovers is more than she ever could have imagined. FIRST Amelia/Lockhart fic ever written. w00t.


**Of Memories Lost**

* * *

**December 1992**

"The bread sauce won't stir itself, Susan, dear." Amelia Bones peered at her niece with raised eyebrows as she prepared the stuffing for Christmas dinner.

The girl blushed nearly as red as the hue of her plait. "Sorry, Auntie."

"Don't think on it, darling. With all the danger going on a Hogwarts it's no wonder you're in such a state."

Susan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Are you talking about the Chamber of Secrets?"

A voice echoed across the kitchen from the spot where Amelia's sister-in-law prepared the finishing touches on the potatoes. "Oh, it's not the danger that has our little Susan in such a tizzy. She's nearly gone mad over her Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. She can hardly focus on anything else." She turned to her husband. "What was his name, dear – Professor _Lockwood_ or _Loggert _or the like?"

Amelia's brother peered up boredly from his paper. "Lockhart, darling."

As Susan blushed more deeply Amelia's curiosity was piqued, and she made sure to remember to discuss the subject with her niece after dinner.

* * *

That evening Amelia and Susan discussed love, life, and the excitement of having a first crush. To Amelia it was a conversation worth remembering, so when she went upstairs that night she drew the memory from her mind with the tip of her wand and stored it carefully in a faceted crystal vial. Opening a large armoire with her wand she placed it carefully next to hundreds of identical vials all surrounding an ornate, miniature pensieve.

The vials were all her own making – with a fair bit of artistic ability and even cleverer magic, and she had hundreds catalogued carefully within the cabinet. Only three vials were missing from her collection, mysteriously disappearing nearly ten years prior, but Amelia had no recollection what they had contained or where they might be. It had persistently nagged at her thoughts for the past decade, but she wouldn't let it bother her on Christmas, not when so many happy memories had been made that day.

She laid down to sleep that night, and Amelia's thoughts turned to Susan's crush, Gilderoy Lockhart. Of course Amelia had heard of the riotously famous man. His numerous autobiographies attested to his many feats, though she had never taken the time to make his acquaintance. In fact she knew very little of him at all. She drifted into a half-sleep, vaguely recalling the very first time she had heard his name.

_**March 21, 1983**_

_Amelia was running late for work, and if she didn't hurry she could be late for her meeting with the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. What on earth could have made her lose track of time? Surely Albus would understand, but she took pride in her punctuality, and if Dumbledore accepted her application she would be the youngest member of the Wizengamot to date! She was about to apparate away when her fireplace burst into green flame._

_She thought about just apparating anyway, but as her floo network was limited to family and select coworkers, Amelia reasoned that it might be important. Her brother popped in a second later, holding an ashen copy of The Daily Prophet._

"_Amelia, thank Merlin you're here." Her brother dusted his robes off carefully. "Work at the bank was a nightmare this morning. It seems Gilderoy Lockhart has returned, and every witch in the country has been withdrawing money to buy his latest book."_

_She rolled her eyes, hastily collecting her things. "I'm afraid I don't have time for a story, brother. You're welcome to stay until dinner tonight, and then you can tell me whoever this Lockhart person is, but I'm running terribly late . . ."_

"_You mean you've never heard of Gilderoy Lockhart?" Her brother laughed incredulously. "Amelia, my dear, where have you been that you've never heard of one of the most famous modern wizards of our day – and I thought you were well connected!"_

_Amelia clenched her jaw while stiffly replying to her brother. "You're welcome to the biscuits in the kitchen." Then, disappearing with a pop, she apparated to the Ministry, determined to do well in her interview – and to discover more about this Gilderoy Lockhart character._

* * *

**July 1993**

Madam Bones stared at the box in front of her, taking a deep breath. Poor Susan would be devastated if she knew what her aunt had been tasked with, but it had to be done.

Confidentially, only she and the Minister of Magic were aware that Gilderoy Lockhart had been hit by his own memory spell in the fabled Chamber of Secrets last month. Fudge thought it would be more prudent if the world didn't know Lockhart was a fraud, and Amelia grudgingly agreed. Many of the wizarding world looked to Lockhart as a source of inspiration, and it would be pointless to take that away for the sake of a good story in the papers.

But now Amelia sat – tasked with rifling through Lockhart's belongings. It was a menial job any Auror in training could have done, but due to the confidentiality, it fell on her shoulders.

The bulk of it was fan mail, and Amelia was grateful for her ability to cast undetectable extension charm – the letters alone would have filled her entire office. Fortunately, the use of magic streamlined her efforts to precision, and soon she had reached the remaining contents of the box. Using a summoning charm she brought the smaller items to the top and was able to sift through them until she spotted three objects that made her stomach lurch. Rolling between an ornate picture frame and a handful of quills lay three crystal vials – unmistakably her own.

Amelia was in the moral dilemma of the century. Protocol dictated that she hold on to the evidence, not removing or tampering with anything until it could be handled in due process – _but those were her memories!_ What precious recollections did they contain – and _how_ had they come to be in the possession of Gilderoy Lockhart _of all people_?

Deciding she must know, Amelia snatched the vials quickly, slipping them into her bag with as much care and stealth as she could naturally conjure. The sooner she could get to her pensieve, the sooner could put her mind at rest once and for all.

* * *

"_Come on, Amelia. Dance with me." Barty Crouch Junior's eyes shifted mischievously as his lips curled into a devilish grin._

Present day Amelia couldn't believe her eyes as she peered at the festivities around her. Judging from the ostentatious hairstyles of the witches and glitzy decorations, she quickly discerned that this memory was from the Christmas Ministry Gala from nearly fifteen years prior. Cringing, she remembered what was about to follow all too well.

"_I know your father asked you to make sure I feel welcome, Bartemius, but I must protest the forwardness of your actions – quite unprofessional."_

It was rather sickening to watch the soon-to-be convict make a pass at her younger self, but as soon as younger Amelia spotted the cameraman for The Daily Prophet approaching, she pulled away promptly and made a mad dash for the beverage cart across the room.

This was where Amelia's current memory faded, and she waited anxiously for the pensieve's contents to play out. She watched an attractive young man with wavy, blond hair approach her younger self.

"_Lucky you got away, eh? He looked like he was ready to go for the kill." _The man let out a hearty laugh, seemingly oblivious to her somewhat suspicious glare_. "Ah, forgive me; I was next to the cameraman when I saw you flee."_

Amelia thought he looked terribly familiar, and with a sinking plummet in her stomach she realized who he was just moments before he opened his mouth to speak again.

"_Gilderoy Lockhart, assistant photographer at The Daily Prophet."_

Lockhart! How on earth had she met Gilderoy Lockhart fifteen years ago? She thought perhaps her younger self would see reason and avoid the stranger entirely, but to her dismay the echo of herself simply blushed, smiling sheepishly as she replied.

"_Amelia Bones, assistant Department Head of Magical Law Enforcement."_

The memory swirled to a latter moment of the evening, where Gilderoy and Amelia danced quietly together in a corner.

"_He won't take your photograph while you're with me. I'm a nobody; I literally repel cameras."_

Young Lockhart laughed heartily, though present day Amelia could detect a hint of wistfulness behind it.

"_You want to be in the spotlight someday," her younger self guessed._

"_Of course, someday," Lockhart said with a grin. "My true ambition is to become a writer – not just these puff pieces they put in the papers – but a real writer."_

"_I hope one day you'll find a story worth writing."_

Amelia could see Lockhart's smile soften slightly, as though he were touched at the sincerity of her counterpart's words. She was beginning to see why would have fallen for the man, but after a few seconds his cheeky façade returned, and Amelia could no longer detect the sweet, young man hiding beneath the surface.

"_Well, my dear, when I write my first bestseller I'll dedicate it to you."_

He winked and kissed young Amelia's hand. Just then the pensieve swirled, sending an exceedingly puzzled Madam Bones back to her study.

Her head spun_. So she'd met Gilderoy Lockhart over fifteen years ago_, but it didn't add up with anything in the current recesses of her conscious memory. How could she have forgotten meeting Lockhart unless . . . _No. _The confidential reports cited that there were victims of irreversible memory modification in every city and village Lockhart visited during his travels. Was it possible that she had simply crossed Lockhart's path one too many times?

Not waiting for an answer, Amelia grabbed the second vial and emptied its contents into the pensieve.

* * *

Amelia was rather shocked when she realized what she had stumbled upon. She stood in a slightly more dated version of the house in which she currently lived, where a younger Amelia and Gilderoy were snogging passionately against the counter-top in the kitchen.

"_You know, darling—"_ Lockhart started as Amelia began to unfasten his robes. "—_as much as I enjoy this, this isn't _exactly _why I asked to come over."_

Young Amelia distracted his attention with a few well placed kisses on his neck.

Lockhart's eyes fluttered closed for a moment, but he was determined to get his point across. "_I really have to tell you this, darling."_

The young witch backed up slightly, looking resigned and unsure.

Taking a deep breath he flashed his most confident smile. "_I'm going to Bandon."_

"_No!"_ Amelia's face flickered with worry and guilt. "_Gilderoy, I told you about the case in Bandon to give you ideas for a novel, not so you would roam the Irish countryside looking for Banshees!"_

"_It could make a fantastic story." _He had a strange gleam in his eyes that caused both Amelias to peer at him with worry.

"_I've seen you with a wand, Gilderoy . . . I don't want to see you get hurt."_

"_Relax, darling. I'll simply interview the townsfolk – get a lay of the land—"_ Lockhart kissed her forehead gently. "—_and I'll come see you the moment I return."_

She sighed with a sad smile, and the memory ended abruptly.

Back in the present, Amelia felt more confused than ever. New guilt that she had given Lockhart the idea for his first novel overwhelmed her. Because of her thoughtless mistake, there was a witch or wizard from Bandon, Ireland living without their memories.

* * *

Amelia wasn't sure she wanted to view the final memory. She tried not to think about it throughout the evening, but that night she could finally put it off no longer. She simply _had_ to discover what had caused Gilderoy Lockhart to remove her memories of him.

Pouring the contents of the last vial into the pensieve, she took a deep breath, preparing to view what could very well have been her final moments with Gilderoy Lockhart.

Amelia spotted a slightly younger version of herself sitting in the parlor, reading a copy of The Evening Prophet dated the fourteenth of September, 1982. So it had been nearly five years since her first meeting with Lockhart. The headline was abuzz with rumors of his recent return from the wilds of Stockon-on-Tees, and the younger Amelia's face was creased with worry and a hint of longing.

She watched her younger self with awe and amazement as young Amelia continued to read. Of course Amelia had seen that look on countless other witches, but to see it on herself was nothing short of astonishing. _Amelia was in love with Gilderoy Lockhart_, plain as day, and as the flames in the fireplace glowed green both Amelias looked toward the light with hesitant anticipation.

Gilderoy swaggered through, but as he caught sight of Amelia his painted smirk softened to genuine happiness.

"_Amelia, darling!"_

"_Gilderoy, you're safe."_

Young Amelia ran into Gilderoy's arms, and the two kissed in passionate reunion. Then the memory dimmed, the contents of the pensieve swirling until it showed Gilderoy and Amelia cuddling beneath her blankets later in the night – _with a great deal less clothing than they had started with_, the present Amelia noted.

"_Is everything all right, darling?" Gilderoy smirked._

_Amelia bit her lip. "I've applied for a position in the Wizengamot. I have a meeting with Albus Dumbledore in the morning."_

"_Why – well, that's wonderful, Amelia, darling. We'll both have everything we've dreamed and planned."_

"_But . . . at what cost?"_

The younger version of herself sat up, despair plain in her face as she continued.

"_The oaths I've taken as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the oaths I would take in the Wizengamot are promises that I will uphold what I believe to be right and true."_

"_Well, that's lovely, Amelia. As I say in my new book, Travels with Trolls—"_

"_Gilderoy!" _

Young Amelia looked torn with anguish and heartbreak.

"_I know you better than anyone, Gilderoy. And when I read your books . . . I can't help but wonder how you've accomplished all these amazing things that I _know _the real_ _Gilderoy Lockhart would never be able to do."_

Lockhart's smile shifted into somewhat of a concerned grimace.

"_Amelia, darling, don't trouble yourself with the trifling details of how great novels are written."_

"_I need to know the truth, Gilderoy."_

His smile faded. "_Let me drop by tomorrow morning – before your interview, and I promise I'll tell you everything."_

She looked tentative but managed a weak smile. "_All right."_

The memory ended, and Amelia's hand cupped over her face as tears welled in her eyes. She had been onto Lockhart, but rather than face it like a man he must have erased her memory.

She wanted to feel justified in the fact that Gilderoy's permanent situation was now at St. Mungo's, but Amelia was filled with such a sense of loss and heartache that she couldn't muster it. Whatever Lockhart's faults had been, she had loved him, and all these years she'd never even known it.

Sleep did not come easily that night, as Amelia knew she'd forever have to live with the knowledge that she had once been in love with one of the most famous wizards in all of Britain. Never in a million years would she have guessed that her niece's first crush would have also been her first love. Life was strange that way, full of mysteries that would never be solved – and loves that would never be understood.

* * *

**Epilogue:**

Early the next morning an unknown man entered the office of Madam Bones. Approaching the box of Gilderoy's belongings he hovered over numerous objects with his wand until he reached an ornate picture frame. Prying back the glass he removed the photograph of Gilderoy, revealing an older, slightly careworn photograph of Amelia and Gilderoy, dancing together in the darkened corner of a ballroom.

Retrieving the picture, he carefully replaced the remaining contents of the frame and exited the office. He traveled down several levels of the building and down a few corridors until finally reaching his destination, a darkened circular room with many doors. Tapping his wand carefully on a handful of the doors, he then opened one, revealing a room filled with innumerable corridors of vials.

Though the unspeakables never conversed about it, it was known by each as the room of memories lost, filled with the most significant remembrances of all wizards and witches who had lost their memories due to magic. Finding one of the newly filled rows, the man counted carefully until he reached a certain memory labeled _G. Lockhart_. He placed the photograph carefully in front to mark its place and walked away, knowing that no witch or wizard would likely ever know the truth of Amelia Bones and Gilderoy Lockhart.

* * *

_**March 21, 1983 - The Lost Memory  
**_

_Amelia stared in awe at Gilderoy, who looked at her pleadingly. "Run away with me, Amelia. We could start a new life together and leave all of this behind."_

_Amelia's eyes creased with sadness. "I can't leave behind everything I've worked for. This is my dream."_

"_Amelia, please," Gilderoy begged. "You're the only thing in my life that's real."_

_The witch's eyes shut tightly, trying to hold back the desperate tears. Opening her hand she held out three vials. "These are memories I've saved of you. Please, take them."_

"_Amelia, don't do this—" The wizard looked perilously close to tears. "—If I don't have you then what _will _I have?"_

_Her eyes opened with sad bitterness. "You'll have your memories, Gilderoy. Please – this is the only way I can protect you."_

_Lockhart held up his wand, trembling with aversion and despair at what he was about to do, but it was what Amelia wanted __–_ and he loved her. 

_"Obliviate!"  
_

**The End . . . ?**

* * *

**A/N:** I've wanted to try starting a ship that doesn't exist for a long time, and this pairing came waaaaay out of the blue. The only connection I really had was Susan's crush on Lockhart and the fact that she's related to Amelia, but it has potential for a cool mystery fic. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks so much for taking the time to read! -V


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